cinnamon allergy?

[tiredbuthappy]

we have noticed twice now that after having apples with cinnamon, dd gets an immediate bright red rash whereever it touches her face. no other noticable symptoms- does not seem uncomfortable, eats normally, tongue and mouth seem fine. she's been eating apples for days with no reaction so i don't think it's apples- it's definitely the cinnamon. I have been reading up on cinnamon allergies and it seems people either have simple dermatological reactions or people are so severely allergic that they can't go within 100 yards of a cinabon or scented candle without passing out. i am also reading that this is a common allergen. she has had cookies and such with cinnamon with no noticable symptoms. for now we are going to avoid cinnamon and we'll discuss it with the ped at her appointment in 2 weeks. since it's supposedly common, i was wondering is anyone has had experience with it?

[RockRose]

Maybe it's just because cinnamon is kind of caustic?  Baby face skin is so very sensitive and soft - my son used to get a big red rash when he ate baby spaghetti where the tomato sauce got on his face.  It wasn't an allergy,  but rather kind of an abrasion from how caustic tomato sauce is.

Sounds like maybe the cinnamon is that way for your daughter.

[Pearl99]

I don't know if I'd discount the apples just yet either. You can eat them for days (or months) and develop allergy still. Apples are a pretty common fruit allergy. Have you tried the same thing with no cinnamon?

[tiredbuthappy]

yep- tried the same thing without cinnamon last night and she was ok.

while she does have the typical sensitive skin of a baby, it's not overly sensitive. For example, she LOVES cherry tomatoes and gets them all over her face. If she eats too many she may develop little tiny irritation bumps. the reaction to the cinnamon is an instant bright red- looks like a burn.

[pcarsey]

I am allergic to cinnamon. It's funny, if it isn't too much cinnamon then I am okay for the most part, just some rashes, but if there is a lot my tongue swells and I can hardly breathe! I try to stay away from it, but miss those special pumpkin pies my mom used to make for me only that had very little cinnamon :(

[tiredbuthappy]

how about cinnamon scented candles? do you react to them and other scented things?

[2ndBaby]

My son who will be one tomorrow breaks out from cinnamon.  We try it every couple months to see if he outgrows the reaction...so far he hasn't.

[masonsmom530]

the same thing happened to my son after eating cereal with cinnamon. I never noticed anything giving him "solid" foods with cinnamon, foods that didn't stick to his face. I stopped giving him any, even though the doctor said it was just contact dermemtitis. I figured that if it inflames his face, it probably inflames his gut too. Since I stopped, I've noticed that his poops are less smelly. weird?

[tiredbuthappy]

my ped said the same thing- apparently it is a common skin irritant and the reaction should only be a contact dermatitis thing. i have the same fear as you about it irritating the gut. the last time she had a baked good with cinnamon in it she had a rougher night. could've been a coincidence, so we are waiting a few weeks and will try again to see if there;s a pattern

[brittanydee]

I am allergic to cinnamon, and it has been a very gradual allergy. It started when I was a teenager, and has gotten worse these past 5 years. I can no longer eat cinnamon bc it makes my tongue swell up and constricts my airways. Also, anything scented with cinnamon makes me itchy and I start coughing. It makes it very difficult shopping around this time of year, bc every store wants to be "festive" but it irritates me to the point of leaving. I hope you figure out what your dd is allergic to. Good luck with everything an I hope this helps.

[tiredbuthappy]

thanks for sharing your experience. I've read many of those horror stories about festive stores and walking past places like Cinnabon in the malls or airports. that's what had me so nervous when i first suspected something. What were your first symptoms when you began to suspect the allergy?

[suffolkgal]

My three year old loves cinamon in his cereal in the morning, so I thought I'd try a little in my 7 month olds too. The result was a horrid red sore looking rash around his mouth. He was otherwise fine.  I imagine this a contact thing, however it worries me as I had childhood asthma, and as an adult have become increasingly sensitive to many things, the most severe resulting in anaphylactic shock! My baby is very much like me in looks and build, I'm wondering whether I should seek medical advice?

[tiredbuthappy]

obviously, avoid giving him any product with cinnamon until speak to your pediatrician. I cannot speak for your case, but in our case it turned out to be a contact reaction after all. Her skin gets very red if she eats something wet with cinnamon in it like cinnamon applesauce. However, with anything else, she is OK. She even eats cinnamon cookies without any problem.

given your history and concerns, I would be very cautious in introducing new foods to him, and be sure to avoid the typical allergens until at least the recommended ages (eggs, strawberries, nuts, etc...) Also, keep in mind that in many cases, allergic reactions become worse with subsequent exposures. Since you do not know the extent of your baby's sensitivity, I would be very careful around cinnamon. While it sounds like contact, when my little one first had the reaction, I did a lot of research on the internet. Apparently, very severe, even anaphylactic reactions, can occur in people with a true cinnamon allergy. I was also surprised to read about how many different foods and products have cinnamon hidden in them.

[jenstam]

Brody gets a very red area on his skin whenever cinnamon touches it, but he also does with other things as well, such as Ranch dressing! It stays for quite a while after, even when it is thoroughly washed! I think it's a pretty common skin irritant.

[LexLouther]

my brother is allergic to cinnamon. Has never had any problems with breathing but will develop a rash and does get very sick (mostly a stomach issue). Sounds like it could affect your gut!